Me>>IMO their basic structure is several/many students learning from a
>>Master or Archon or something like that. Some Masters will group
>>themselves into a larger order to control a city or somesuch. I
>>don't have much hope for the long-term viability of such orders.
>Its the progressive revelation of secrets that I think most crucial
>- there may be a basic structure of a master and students, but I don't
>think the master teaches the same thing to all the students, in particular
>the 'illumination' knowledge is denied to the less advanced students.
I really do not see Arkatism as having a received corpus of wisdom that one has to digest before one passes to the next stage. It's more of a Master teaches his disciples the particular tools on how to heroquest, and once a disciple reaches a recognized competency, he too is accorded a Master. Now a Master may teach the full heroquest in stages, but ultimately his disciples are going to stray of the beaten path as HQ is a personal experience.
So I tend to rebel against the notion that progression through the Arkati cult is something like "Congratulations! You have passed your exams on the 31st degree of enlightenment and have been awarded the letters L and D to decipher the Great Secret '-RK-T W-S - -LL-M-N-T-D!!!'". Admittedly extreme but it is the impression I have to fight against when Arkati FreeMasonry is mentioned...
> Actually, I imagine the Arkati have splintered many times. Arkatism
>is a line of magical practice and a spiritual path, that lingers beneath
>the surface of many modern Gloranthan societies, rather than a world wide
>conspiracy.
I would restrict this to Ralios. There are some Arkati cults outside Ralios (such as amongst the Uz and in Heortland) but their scope is neglible compared to the intellectual ferment in Ralios.
Pete Nash:
[Foregoing temptations to take potshots at the Masons on the grounds that it's superfluous considering that Ambrose Bierce has already been quoted].
>Even if an average Safelstran can't believe in multiple world views,
>surely the illuminated could, and they are the ones running the
>societies.
Arkati 'illumination' is not the Nysaloran Illumination. It's doubtful whether they have the ability to join multiple cults or hold multiple worldviews.
>I also like the idea of double agents being sent to
>infiltrate a secret cult at the behest of his original one.
And I think that Arkati cults being paranoid about Gbajites would insist that prospects submit to regular mental examinations to see if they are on the up-and-up.
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